2 other children injured in wreck on Route 173 in Brady Township

Police believe 31-year-old Kimberly Ann McLaughlin may have fallen asleep at the wheel before the crash that killed her and her 3-year-old son and the child's father Wednesday afternoon in Butler County.

Two other children were injured when the van crossed the center line of Route 173 in Brady Township, near Duffy Road, before going airborne and crashing into a tree. (Scene photos: 3 killed, 2 children injured in van crash)

George McLaughlin said his 11-year-old granddaughter was in the back seat and called them minutes after the crash.

"She goes, 'Grandma, mommy passed out, she wrecked the van. I'm bleeding and we're hurt. Come and get us. I want to come with you guys," McLaughlin said.

Terry Wayne Cramer Jr. was in the front passenger seat, but police say he was not wearing a seatbelt. He and McLaughlin were pronounced dead at the scene. According to police, Wednesday was Cramer's 42nd birthday.

Two toddlers were riding in the second row of seats, police said. Terry Cramer III, 3, was pronounced dead at a Butler hospital. Emily Cramer, 1, suffered critical injuries and remains in a coma at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

"She's a fighter. When you see her laying there you can see she's fighting to stay with us. But it's up to God what he wants to do," McLaughlin said.

Police said Terry and Emily were in proper child restraints in the vehicle. A fifth passenger, McLaughlin's 11-year-old daughter was riding in the back seat, and was in stable condition at Children's Hospital.

Police said McLaughlin was the mother of all the children. Cramer was the father of Emily and Terry.

"He was a pistol, he was good," McLaughlin said, remembering his only grandson. "They were just normal kids. They enjoyed their life and they always wanted to be doing something, go somewhere."

Scene photos: 3 killed, 2 children injured in van crash

1 of 9

Kimberly Ann McLaughlin

Police believe 31-year-old Kimberly Ann McLaughlin may have fallen asleep at the wheel before the crash that killed her and her 3-year-old son and the child's father Wednesday afternoon in Butler County.

THE WHEEL. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M SALLY WIGGIN. CHANNEL 4 ACTION NEWS REPORTER AMBER NICOTRA IS LIVE AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL-- WHERE THE TWO GIRLS ARE AMBER. 3 3 3 3 0512.01 7:51 she's a AN ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING SITUATION, THOSE TWO GIRLS REMAIN HERE AT THE HOSPITAL. THE OLDEST, WHO IS 11 YEARS OLD, IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER, BUT THE LITTLE GIRL, WHO IS ONLY ONE YEAR OLD, IS FIGHTING TO STAY ALIVE. SHE'S A FIGHTER, AND WHEN YOU SEE HER LAYING THERE, SHE'S FIGHTING TO STAY WITH US, BUT IT'S UP TO GOD WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. Reporter: ONE-YEAR-OLD EMILY CRAMER FIGHTS TO SURVIVE WHILE HER GRANDFATHER FIGHTS TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. KIM McLAUGHLIN CRASHED THE VAN SHE WAS DRIVING KILLING HER, HER THREE-YEAR-OLD SON, AND HER BOYFRIEND, THE BABY'S FATHER, 42-YEAR-OLD KERRY CRAMER. HIS OLDEST STEPDAUGHTER WAS ALSO IN THE VAN AND MANAGED TO CALL THEM. SHE SAID, GRANDPA, MAMA PASSED OUT, SHE WRECKED THE VAN. WE'RE BLEEDING, COME GET US. I WANT TO COME WITH YOU GUYS. Reporter: SHE BELIEVED HER MOTHER MAY HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, HITTING A TREE STUMP, SENDING THE VAN AIRBORNE AND INTO A TREE. SHE DID WHATEVER SHE COULD. Reporter: SHE JUST DROPPED HER DAUGHTER OFF AT SUMMER CAMP WHEN THE WRECK OCCURRED. THEY HAD TO CUT THE TODDLER OUT OF HER CAR SEAT. WHILE EMILY WAS FLOWN TO CHILDREN'S, LITTLE EMILY NEVER MADE IT. THEY WERE JUST NORMAL KIDS AND THEY ENDEARED OUR LIFE. THEY ALWAYS WANTED TO BE DOING SOMETHING, GO SOMEWHERE. Reporter: STATE POLICE STILL INVESTIGATING THIS CRASH. STEPHANIE, THE 11-YEAR-OLD, SUFFERED SOME BROKEN BONES AND CUTS. SHE IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER. LITTLE EMILY, WHO IS ONE YEAR OLD, IS STILL IN A COMA.